Strip steel coil-unwinder



P 1932- K. F. DAlLE Y I 1,875,566

STRIP STEEL COIL UNWINDER Filed June 23. 1950 jlmulhmlllllp INKENTOR I [127212 F $41177 By Wm WM Patented Sept. 6 1932 UNITED STATES KARL F. DAILEY, OF CLEVELAND, OHIO s'rmr STEEL COIL-UNWINDER Application filed June 23, 1930. Serial No. 463,279.

This invention relates to an appliance for use in the steel mill industry and is a continnation in part of my co-pending application entitled Strip steel coil-unwinder, executed May 16, 1930, Ser. No. 461,232, filed June 14, 1930.

As explained in the aforementioned specification, it is necessary in the pickling of steel strip to release and partially unwind the initial end portion of the bundle of strip so that the same may be threaded between the rollers for straightening and then passing the same through the successive vats in which is contained the acid for the pickling opera,- tion. a

The old methods which have been followed have entailed considerable labor in the handling of the bundles of steel strip for the purpose of unwinding the end portion thereof and also in the transfer of the bundle of strip to another position of temporary support prior to its introduction into the pickling apparatus or other machinery. The old practice has thus involved considerable labor and expenditure of time. i

It is therefore the object of the present invention to devise a still further .form of improved apparatus for unwinding the initial end portion of the bundle of strip steel and for avoiding at the same time the necessity of lifting the bundle during this operation or during the succeeding transfer of the bundle to its temporary support,

Whereas in the co-pending application above referred to, there is disclosed ameans for moving the bundle of strip while the initial end thereof is attached to a fixed gripping member, it is the purpose of the present invention to devise an apparatus in which the bundle of strip may remain in the same position during such initial unwinding of the strip and to provide in conjunction therewith a positively actuated means for unwinding the end portion of the strip from the bundle while it remains in such fixed position. In the present case, there is employed a pair of rollers which are positively actu ated for unwinding the strip to the extent indicated.

Another object consists in providing a means whereby the unwinding rollers may be disengaged from each other so asto permit ready insertion of the end of the strip therebetween preparatory to initiation of the unwinding operation.

A further object consists in providing a means for maintaining the rollers in effective unwinding engagement, together with means for automatically disengaging the rollers upon release of such maintaining means.

It is also the object of this invention to revide a means whereby upon completion 0 the initial unwinding of the strip, the bundle may be conveniently conveyed from such unwinding position and the unwound end portion thereof may at the same time and by the same transfer movement be withdrawn from between the rollers so as to then permit the initiation of the unwinding of another bundle in the same manner.

Other objects will be apparent from the following description and claims when considered together with the accompanying drawing.

Fig. 1 is a plan view of my present improved form of device; and Fig. 2 is a side elevation thereof.

It is to be understood thatthe present disclosure is merely for the purpose of illustrgtion and that there may be various modifications thereof without departing from the spirit of the present invention. All such variations and modifications are intended to be comprehended by the present description and claims. It is also to be understood that the same apparatus may be employed in connection with strips of other material which it may be desired to unwind in the same manner.

In the present illustration, the bundle 1 of the steel strip is supported upon the idle rollers 2 arranged therebeneath and is also par-- tially supported by means of the pipe 3 extending through the core thereof and resting at its two ends upon the sides or side or.

members 4 which extend in parallel arrangement to an extent to be hereinafter referred to. Hinged to the sides t at the points 5 are or lowered position, as will be explained. As a means of maintaining the leaves 6 in raised position, there may be employed any suitable means, as for instance, a bar 7 which may be inserted through apertures in sides 4 beneath the forward ends of the leaves 6. The leaves 6 may also be attached together by means of a transversely extending bar so as to permit them to be raised and lowered together. The rear edge portions of the leaves 6 are so constructed and arranged that they will cooperate with the correspondingly formed and oppositely disposed edge portions of the sides 4 which extend in the region of the core of the bundle 1 so that when the leaves 6 are in raised position, there will be formed a slot 8 upon each side thereof for the reception of the end portions of the pipe 3. In this manner, the weight of the bundle is somewhat distributed between the idle rollers 2 and the pipe 3 upon the sides 4 so that the bundle is supported to substantially the same degree at these two points, especially during the unwinding operation.

The bundle is so positioned upon the supporting means just referred to that the outer end thereof may be withdrawn from the bot tom and threaded between positively driven rolls 9 and 10. The roll 9 is driven by the motor 11 and suitable gear connections are provided between these two rolls so that both of them will be positively driven when they are in engaged position. The roll 9 is suitably mounted in the stationary support 11 while the roll 10 is mounted upon the one end portion of the double arm 12 which may be rocked or turned about the axis 13. The other end of the arm 12, that is, beyond the point of its pivotal movement, is provided with the coil springs 14 mounted about the rods 15 secured at their other ends to the base 11. These parts are so constructed and arranged that upon release of the roll '10 from its engagement with the roll 9, the springs 14 will automatically rock the arm 12 about the axis 13 so as to raise the roll 10 to permit insertion of the end of the strip between the rolls. As a means for maintaining the arm 12 in lowered position, I have provided the cam 16 which is adapted to engage the upper surface of the plate 17 cast as an integral part of the arm 12. As a means of manipulating the cam 16, there is provided the wheel 18 upon one side of the frame structure and the cam 16 may be so designed that upon engagement of the same with the plate 17, it will of itself be maintained in such engaglng position or there may be provided other means for holding the same in such set position.

The roekably mounted frame 12 is provided also with the angularly disposed web portion 19 cast as an integral part thereof for the purpose of preventing the curl of the end portion of the strip from turning the same upwardly out of the proper path intended therefor. In other words, the web portion 19 will serve as a deflector means to maintain the end of the strip in its proper path of lateral movement toward the left, as viewed in the present drawing. There is provided also about the axis 13 the idle roller 20 below which the end portion of the strip Will pass during the unwinding thereof.

Thus, it will be seen that upon placing a bundle of strip in the position indicated in the drawing, the end portion thereof may be inserted between the rolls 9 and 10 while in disengaged position, and these rolls may then be closed upon the strip by actuation of the cam 16. Upon then starting the motor 11, the strip will be positively unwound from the bundle by action of the rolls 9 and 10, and will be drawn therethrough toward the left, as viewed in the present drawing. When the strip has been unwound to the extent desired, this operation will be discontinued and the cam 16 will be released so as to disengage the roll 10 from the companion roll' 9. Then upon lowering the leaves 6, the bundle 1 may be moved bodily and laterally over the idle rollers 2, the forward ones of which may be inclined downwardly so as to facilitate such lateral transfer of the bundle. When the leaves 6 are in such lowered position, they will extend entirely below the upper edges of the sides 4 so as to permit the transfer movement of the pipes 3 therealong. When the bundle 1 has been transferred to a point beyond the rollers 2, it will find its own position of suspension upon the pipe 3 as it is rolled along the top edges of the sides 4. The far ends of the sides 4 are provided with the abutment or stop means 21 so designed as to receive the pipe 3 for support of the bundle in such position. Along the sides 4, there may be provided other dwells, as indicated for instance by reference numeral 22, for temporary positioning of the bundle prior to its further transfer to the position 21.

Thus, the present form of apparatus is capable of unwinding the initial end portion of the strip in an eflicient and comparatively simple manner, and furthermore, the strip will be engaged uniformly at all points across the full width thereof, as it is engaged by the unwinding roll. All of the parts are so constructed and arranged that the strip may be threaded between the rolls in a convenient manner and may be withdrawn simultaneously with the transfer of the bundle of strip to its temporary position of support.

Other advantages will be apparent to those who are skilled in the art to which this invention relates.

What I claim is:

1. The combination of means for supporting a roll of metal strip, a pair of readily disengagable rotatable rollers for unwinding the end portion of said roll of strip,

means for operating said rollers, means for disengaging said rollers whereby the strip may be released from engagement by said rollers, and means whereby said roll of strip may be moved away from said rollers and the unwound end portion thereby Withdrawn therefrom.

2. The combination of means for supporting a roll of metal strip, a pair of rotatable rollers for unwinding the end portion of said roll of strip, means for operating said rollers, means whereby the strip may be released from engagement by said rollers, and means whereby said roll of strip may be moved laterally away from said rollers and the unwound end portion thereby withdrawn therefrom. v

3. The combination of means for supporting a roll of metal strip, a pair of rotatable rollers for unwinding the end, portion of said roll of strip, means for operating said rollers, means whereby the strip may be released from engagement by said rollers, and means whereby said roll of strip may be moved by the air of gravity away from said rollers and the unwound end portion thereby withdrawn therefrom.

4. The combination of means for releasably supporting a roll of metal strip, said means including an inclined means along which the roll may be moved by the aid of gravity, and disengageable means for holding .the roll in fixed position upon said inclined means, a pair of rotatable rollers for unwinding the end portion of said roll of strip, means for operating said rollers, and means whereby the strip may be released from engagement by said rollers, whereby the roll of strip may be moved away from said rollers and the unwound end portion thereby withdrawn therefrom.

5. The combination of means for supporting a roll of metal strip, a pair of rotatable releasable rollers for unwinding the end portion of said roll of strip, means for operating said rollers, releasable means for maintaining said rollers in effective unwinding position, means for automatically separating said rollers upon release of said maintaining means, and means whereby the roll of strip and the unwound end portion thereof can be moved away from said rollers.

6. The combination of means for supporting a roll of metal strip, a pair of rotatable rollers for unwinding the end portion of said roll of strip, means for operating said rollers, one of said rollers being disengageable from and movable away from the other of said rollers so as to permit initial insertion of the end portion of the strip between said rolls and also to permit release of said rollers for removal of the strip therefrom, said movable roller having a supporting arm upon which the same is carried, means for pivotal adjustment of said arm for eflecting movement of the roller into and out of eni gagement with the other of said rollers, releasable means for en aging said arm so as to maintain the movable roller in engaging position, means cooperating with said arm for automatically moving the roller out of engaging position, upon release of said arm, and means whereby the roll of strip and the unwound portion thereof can be moved away from said rollers.

In testimony whereof, I hereby aflFiX my signature KARL F. DAILEY. 

